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OPINION

Wonder how many stars 'Buzz F.' would give Redding council challengers

Prolific Yelp.com commenter"Buzz F." reviewed the incumbents in early August. With the election campaign getting into high gear -- and three seats at stake -- maybe he'll attend a campaign forum or two and size up the challengers.

In case you missed his previous reviews, here's a summary:

If you’ve ever used Yelp.com to check out a local restaurant or business you’ve probably seen reviews by one “Buzz F.” A clever fellow who doesn’t mince words, Buzz’s write-ups are often meditations on larger topics than the particular eatery or establishment in question.

For example, he used a review of the Madayne cafe on Hilltop to muse on how Bethel Church has brought a measure of hipness to Redding.

A recent review of Shasta Athletic Club was an excuse for Buzz to meditate on his undying love of the dying sport of racquetball.

So for fun I asked why there weren’t more Yelp reviews of our city counselors and encouraged Buzz F. to weigh in. He did, with relish.

Some excerpts:

Patrick Jones didn’t fare well, earning just one star.

“Jones' increasingly strident, take-no-prisoners-make-no-compromises style from his City Council seat -- combining a Tea Party agenda with a nostalgic and unintentionally ironic dream of returning Redding to the 1960s and 1970s of PHJ's youth, when Redding was mo' betta (i.e., when it was a union town run by Democrats, in a solidly Democratic congressional district).”

Neither did ideological partner Gary Cadd (one star):

“Our local version of former Veep Dick Cheney -- always giving off the vibe that he's the only person in the room who isn't an idiot. The kind of self-righteous megalomaniac who would accidentally shoot a friend in the face while hunting upland birds, and then decline to appear apologetic or even vaguely contrite about it. A short-term mistake, if Reddingites have any sense.”

By contrast, Mayor Rick Bosetti got four stars:

“I can't entirely forgive Bosetti for his former axis-of-evil alliance with council members Jones and Cadd, even though he never seemed entirely comfortable wearing the Tea Party's standard-issue big floppy shoes and red rubber ball for a nose. And I'll also admit to casting a stink-eye his way because the Bosetti clan were our team's arch-rivals at the annual Paisano Days bocce ball tournament. But who doesn't love a good rebirth and redemption story?”

Missy McArthur also earned four stars.

“Missy is a throwback to an era when city council was a non-partisan elected office -- the days when the council comprised five local citizens who ran for the office to improve the city and to do favors for cronies -- Missy has those sorts of old-fashioned values.”

Of Vice Mayor Francie Sullivan he wrote:

“Part of Sullivan’s platform has always included the notion that small businesses in Redding need more encouragement...I’ve yet to see anything come out of City Council that would specifically provide a hand up to Redding’s small businesses. I’ve yet to see Sullivan champion such a proposal...Sorry, Francie. For me, pointing out the existence of the SCEDD and the EDC on your campaign website doesn’t quite cut it…. Lastly, I'm going to say it right out loud: Sullivan is a strikingly attractive woman -- she'd look fantastic modeling the cowgirl/hippie-chic clothing and jewelry featured in Robert Redford's "Sundance" catalogue ...But the looks only complement Sullivan's smarts and heart. It's those latter attributes that tip the scale to five stars.”